Giving his mount a tap on the rump, Octavion released it to graze in the meadow with the other horses. He didn’t like restraining animals, so had trained them to stay close. It helped that he had a gift with such creatures—they trusted him.
Anxious to get out of his wet clothes, Octavion returned to his lair before the girls even pulled out of the parking area. Lydia had sent word that Kira seemed abnormally quiet, and she was concerned that Altaria’s appearance had frightened her. Several minutes later, Lydia sent another message that struck his temples and gave him a splitting headache.
Thanks a lot, Octavion. You give me all these rules of what I can and can’t tell Kira, and then you go and expose our heritage. Now what am I supposed to say to her? How will I explain what she saw? AAAH! It infuriates me that you can’t answer. Meet me at my house. We need to talk.
Octavion ignored her as best he could and didn’t obey her commands. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation with his sister—especially since she was right. What he’d done was stupid. Even more, he’d put Kira’s life at risk. What if her fall had caused an injury that bled?
And then there was the ride back in the rain. His face had been buried in her hair for most of the trip. Her scent almost forced him over the edge. He couldn’t get away fast enough to stifle the burn that attacked the back of his throat. It was careless of him, allowing her to be so close after the moon’s dark phase.
He took in a deep breath, trying to suppress the hunger that twisted in his gut, but it only made the need stronger. He looked down at his vest to find that two long, red hairs had caught in the leather lace of his vest, then realized her wet hair had pressed against him, leaving her sweet incense behind. He ripped off his vest as the muscles in his back swelled. The primal instincts that plagued him took over his senses and heightened his hunger.